Tag: DIY earrings

As I mentioned previously, I love to shop for beads and artisan made pieces, often doing so from online sources. I get a little thrill when the packages arrive at my home. I rarely make anything with them right away. I like to let them sit on my bead table for awhile, letting them adjust to their new home. I honestly just like to look at them and admire their beauty. Eventually, I look for a place for them to safely reside in the assundry of beadbox containers I have. Beads, focals, charms, etc can sit in those containers for years, just waiting for the right inspiration or additional pieces to arrive before they are used in my creations. It will amaze me when a new piece comes in and as I’m sorting through my containers I’ll run across just the right color/shape bead to be used with that new piece. I usually had forgotten I had those older items or just passed over them many a time waiting for when I would use them. That’s the advantage of having a stash to sort through. I don’t always have a design in mind when I buy something, but putting it along side findings I already have can make for a great pairing and inspire ideas. I tend to lean toward similar colors, shapes and styles so often I have a mix of things that will blend together nicely.

Here are some examples of my inspirations of mixing new items with those I had tucked away in my bead containers. The new item was the pink stone ready made necklace I found on Etsy that matched well with the previous purchase of the lamp worked leaf bead (artist Rita Schneck, bought in Tucson 2019) coupled with beads I already had in my stash. A mix of semi precious stones, ceramic, artisan made and glass beads. (This necklace appears in a previous post).

Close up of the lamp worked leaf pendant

Ready made beaded necklace with the artisan leaf pendant

Again here is another example of old/new pairings. The new is the turquoise butterfly bead that I got as part of a recent subscription mailing from Candie Cooper. All other items I already had on hand. The round turquoise beads I have had in my stash for many years in which I have only used a few of the beads in previous pieces. I also found hiding in my container of crystal beads these precious little butterfly pieces, just perfect for the earrings. A nice nod to the butterfly pendant without looking too matchy matchy.

Close up of earrings with the crystal butterfly beads

Butterfly necklace and earrings

I feel blessed to be able to have such a variety of items on hand to play with in my designs and creations. You just never know what you can put together, old and new. Don’t forget what you may have tucked away in a box somewhere. You probably have something to go with that newly acquired piece. Play and have fun!

If you celebrate Valentine’s Day, I hope it is a special one. If you created jewelry for the occasion, I hope it is beautiful and made you smile.

Pondering over coffee and beads- ” Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Let me first give a shout out to the Kansas City Chiefs for their Super Bowl win! My husband and I follow other NFL teams, but KCC put in a phenomenal 4th quarter performance that was fun to watch….unless you were a 49ers fan… my sympathies to them this morning.

I promised to share another one of my Czech Beads subscription boxes and so I will. This one is a completely different look than the previous box and made more pieces. They look a bit more formal and jazzy than the more casual flower motif of the previous one. Once again I did not follow exactly the recommended use of the materials with regards to the bracelet. I made it a stretch bracelet rather than a double strand on stringing wire with a clasp. That’s just my personal preference. Doing that leaves extra beads to use in other projects, should I choose to do that.

Just a reminder, this particular subscription box (BohemStyle from Kraftika aka Czech Beads Exclusive) gives you all the materials to use plus a link to a video that shows you how to put together the pieces. This was the November 2019 box, which also came with an extra (Christmas) gift that made earrings that matched the set. The beads were lovely in the laboradite like colors with an AB coating and etched look to them, with donut/ring, barrel, melon, metal tube (donut beads go over the tubes) and druk shapes. These beads really show off their colors in reflective light. What I like about these subscription boxes is that you get materials that you may not typically buy or use, plus instructions on how to use the beads to make each piece. Some may find this crimps your creative vibe, but I sometimes like just having it all together to make something without any frustrations on what to do. Can be very meditative and relaxing. So here is the subscription box as it comes and then put together by me…..

Final pieces …. the hoop earrings were the extra gift

Subscription box reveal

I have one more subscription box to complete and I will post the before and after pics of that, whenever I get it completed.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope this inspires you to take a serious look at signing up for subscription boxes from the various DIY bead and jewelry sources out there.

Have a great day! ~Holly G (HBG Jewelry)

Pondering over coffee and beads….”Of this be sure: You do not find the happy life, you make it.” ~Thomas S Monson